For twelve years, Barbara Bush was everybody’s grandma, and now it’s time to celebrate her birthday! First the wife of the vice president and then swiftly taking on the role of First Lady, Barbara Bush captured the attention of the nation with her stark white hair, relaxed demeanor, and straight-forward responses to questions. Why do we want to celebrate her birthday? Well, she’s pretty much the epitome of motherhood — she’s likable, yes, but also formidable. And let’s be honest, every mom knows that a little bit fear and respect is necessary in any household.
Barbara Bush was born on June 8, 1925 in New York. After attending Rye County Day School until 1927, Bush then went off to boarding school in Charleston, South Carolina. Now, it’s hard as a parent to live through your daughter’s first boyfriend. But after hearing this story, maybe you’ll want to give him more of a chance. When Barbara was 16, she attended a school dance. Who did she meet there? None other than George Herbert Walker Bush, future husband and future president of the United States. Not a bad catch, huh?
The two lovebirds were engaged for a year and a half before George went fight in World War II as a naval torpedo boat pilot. He arrived home, and they tied the knot on June 6, 1945 — also known as V-J Day.
But this isn’t just a story about Barbara Bush’s love life, as interesting as it may be. First of all, she was the mother of six kids: George W., Robin, Neil, Marvin, and Dorothy. While having six kids seems hard enough, due to her husband’s constant relocations, Barbara Bush had to move her family a total of 29 times. 29 times. Did you get that? 29 times. And, on top of raising six human beings and supporting the president of the United States, Barbara Bush succeeded in promoting literacy awareness, AIDS prevention, hospice service, and volunteer projects. Not to mention the fact that she wrote two books — C. Fred’s Story and Millie’s Book — both narrated from a dog’s point of view. Talk about creativity.
As First Lady, Barbara Bush commanded the attention not only of the United States, but also of her husband’s cabinet. Her powerful demeanor and courageous choices forced people to sit up and take notice of the things she said and did.
Barbara Bush is a continuous supporter of family literacy and gives lectures in order to donate money to charities that seek to improve reading skills and encourage exploration of libraries. It’s no question why we’re wishing her a happy birthday. Not only is Barbara Bush a fantastic role model, but she’s also a firm supporter of literacy and is improving the education of children all over the country. Happy birthday, Barbara Bush!
